Jack Hanley Gallery is pleased to present New Drawings by Ed Loftus, marking the artist’s second exhibition with the gallery.
In this new body of work, Loftus continues to explore his signature technique of using graphite and pastel pencils to render photorealistic depictions of family photographs, borrowed images, and personal photography. His meticulous attention to detail and self-taught mastery of graphite reflect an obsessive dedication to the medium. In New Drawings, Loftus expands on this precision by introducing subtle touches of color, selectively highlighting key compositional elements. The color accents, combined with the photorealistic technique, imbue the works with a haunting clarity that elevates even the most ordinary subjects, imbuing them with emotional or psychological weight.
The drawings in this exhibition capture moments of quiet intimacy and unsettling disruptions, for instance, an intimate, meticulously detailed drawing of a brick wall or a cloud billowing from a detonated bomb. These contrasts evoke a sense of tension, blurring the line between the familiar and the unknown. While Loftus’ work is often deeply personal and introspective, it also resonates universally, inviting viewers to consider the interplay between the individual and the collective. By challenging our perception of reality and memory, Loftus compels us to confront how obsession, recollection, and fear shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
Ed Loftus (B. London, lives and works in Oakland, CA) has been featured nationally and internationally, and has exhibited at Jack Hanley Gallery and Gregory Lind Gallery.